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Devotion.al

Tag: end

  • Hearts of Innocence

    Jeremiah 31:15–20, Matthew 2:13–23, Hebrews 2:11–18 (read online ⧉)

    In the Evangelical Church, and even in the so-called mainstream American Denominations, the day of Holy Innocents is often skipped over. It’s uncomfortable. It’s weird. To our sensibilities, it just makes no sense. Like so many of the stories in the Scriptures, we have a hard time wrapping our heads around it.

    When spoken in Jeremiah, it is the loss of the people of Israel to exile and the loss of the Promised Land. In times of war and exile, children were often the first victims, just as it in many cases today. Lamenting wasn’t just sorrow. It was God-led grief, a ripping of the fabric of those that God had called. It was tinged with horror at what was lost, and how far away God seemed to be.

    As with many other Old Testament passages, this was called up by Jesus’ followers as a foreshadowing of Herod’s great crime…sacrificing the future (children) for the sake of his power and pride. While Herod’s Jewish ancestors were condemned for killing their children to appease demonic gods, Herod went so far as to kill God’s children to prevent anyone, including God’s Messiah, from taking “his” power.
    As an innocent baby, God became one of us. God dared, and the world dared bigger.

    With every political cycle, there is a cynical pulling of our heartstrings for the future (the children). Whether the issue is abortion, adoption, food, education, healthcare, politicians use our hearts to pull our votes. This is not to deny the importance of the issues. In fact, it is quite the opposite. By making political hay using children, the politicians belittle our hearts, our future, and our children.

    The sad part is that our culture has place children in this odd place. While we may not be Herod, children and the satisfaction of political, cultural, and personal power remains an issue. If one analyzes the political, cultural, and religious language often used, one can see god (not God) language used with and for children (through no fault or initiative of their own). Children are therefore set up to fail as they are not gods. Children, to this day, are used for power and pride. They are still Holy Innocents.

    1) We often compare our childhood to the “current” childhood. How does that cause us to miss bad (i.e., “god”) language spoken of us when we were children? Why is it both bad and good to compare language used about children?

    2) Why do you think children end up in discussions of power?

    3) Holy Innocents is a recognition that children often have no say, yet bear the consequences. How should that affect Christian conversation about the Next Generation?

  • The Rot of Forgot

    2 Chronicles 30:13-27, Nehemiah 8:7-12, Jeremiah 15:16

    The world is supposedly becoming Post-Christian. The thought behind the term is that the “Christian Era” was when Christianity was dominant throughout the world as if Emperor Constantine’s edict of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire made Christianity instantly accessible, understandable, and pervasive.

    The sad part is there is a superficial truth to that. What did happen is that Western Europe and then by extension North America became the dominant influencers for generations. The church ignorantly (or stupidly) allowed governments to drape themselves in religious imagery and language. The rot finally came to a culmination point, and the church and the governments are dividing. Many in the church (and many politicians who derived power from the people in the church) are decrying the loss. Yet, acknowledging the rot we collectively allowed to set in will be a good step moving forward.

    The real rot is ignorance. The church itself has allowed ignorance of its own beliefs to set it. It would avoid the questions the world asked, then stick its head into the sand, as if that would somehow fix everything.

    In 2 Chronicles, the people were ignorant of how to celebrate Passover. Think of it as forgetting how to celebrate Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost all at once. They were afflicted as a result of their ignorance, but in the end, grace poured out and true joy was expressed.

    We are at the point that the Jews were at in the passages we read today. The passage in Nehemiah displays the ignorance of the Jews regarding their own history and religious practices. The disconnect between what they knew and the Truth caused many to mourn. Despite their ignorance, they were there in body, heart, soul, and mind. That is what mattered. Joy poured out of them!

    Jeremiah’s words apply not just to the passages that we read in the Old Testament, they apply to us today! Ignorance is not a good excuse! God can and will use anyone who responds. Sometimes, though, we have to learn where we went wrong. Then we can see where God moved us and proclaimed us his children of the inheritance. Then joy will pour out of us, too.

    1) Why are people ignorant of the underpinnings of the Christian faith? What is one thing you can do (while speaking the Truth in love) to help that?

    2) Why might an understanding of God’s grace lead to true joy?

    3) If grace leads to true joy, what can you do to extend grace to others to demonstrate God’s grace?

  • Hope Together

    1 Chronicles 29:14–19, Psalm 31, Isaiah 2:1–5 (read online ⧉)

    It is pretty universal across humanity for people to question their value and their purpose. In the ancient world, the view of gods was often not particularly positive. Much of the activity was done to appease the wrathful gods and to “bribe” them enough to maybe get what was desired. The progressive understanding of the Israelites was that while God required sacrifice it was much more than that.

    David rarely seemed to view himself particularly highly (which have actually been a problem, at times). This gave David an interesting perspective insofar as he knew that while God had chosen him (and his family), he didn’t take it for granted. He was grateful and amazed. In addition, part of his history (and that of Israel) was one of constant strife with the nations around them, and often at the losing end.

    It was the non-losing end that remained the underlying story of the Israelites…hope. David understood that while Israel was often in trouble, often through its own misbehavior, with God’s selection of David and his family that there was indeed hope that the people would finally be unified. Through unification, perhaps the people of Israel would finally be strong enough to stand against the forces around them.

    Regardless, for David at least, it all relied on God. While David and his military might could protect the nation to some degree, it was only through God’s mighty hand and care that the nation, and its people, would thrive. In Psalm 31, David calls upon God’s faithful love. Foreshadowing a significant event in the death of his descendant, David wrote, “…into your hand I entrust my spirit.” Hope and trust in God are what allows us to continue forward in strength when we cannot see in the dark.

    Isaiah’s vision shows us that even then God was looking forward to everyone worshiping God with each other. This worship would cross national, ethnic, language, and cultural barriers. This hope, of a world united in worship of God, is what we have to share with those who don’t know God. Let us take the light of hope forward into our lives.
    1) Have you ever questioned your value or purpose? What do David’s words say to that?

    2) Why is entrusting yourself to God such an important perspective?

    3) There is more than just worship involved in Isaiah’s vision? What else is there?

    FD) What do you think David means by trusting his spirit to God?

  • Gratitude Not Spending

    Psalm 19, Romans 13:11–14, Jude 12–19 (read online ⧉)

    An attitude of gratitude should be one of the characteristics of a maturing Christian. This is not normal for the Christian or for most people. Capitalism has been a great catalyst for change and improvements. However, it comes with significant and very serious dark sides. For example, part of the cultural meme for January is the shock and grieving that comes with the credit card bills from Christmas celebrations (whether activities or presents). There is even one that is currently going around about people being thankful for finally paying off the bills from last Christmas, right before Thanksgiving.

    A number of years ago, there was a strong “underground” Christian movement called the Advent Conspiracy. It sought to disrupt the Christian buy-in of spending for Christmas or at least spending on self. There have been other attempts at doing the same limiting Christmas to a single family present, or following the tradition (i.e., not in the Bible) of the gifts of the 3 (another traditional number, rather than in the Bible) wise men (i.e., Magi): gold (garb), frankincense (fun), and myrrh (mental). All of these seek to “limit” the excesses of cultural Christmas celebrations. However, “limiting” the excesses becomes a new rule, and rules aren’t supposed to be the point.

    We are to be transformed, not seeking after the desires of the flesh. For far too long, “the flesh” has been too tightly defined as lust or gluttony. In our days, “keeping up with the Jones’” is often the stronger desire of the flesh. People put themselves deeply into debt for instant gratification. Debt, of course, has become a chain around many, maybe you or your family.

    Black Friday is no spiritual holiday. It is a cultural event that celebrates and encourages excess and bad behavior. Now, this doesn’t mean don’t save money, but more along the lines of don’t fall into the traps that the culture, envy, greed, and coveting. It wasn’t that long ago that unbridled spending was patriotic. However, as many costs (such as higher education and medical care) go higher and higher, people are having harder and harder times paying for things.

    As we “end” our season of Thanksgiving (though it should be a way of life, not a month a year), and enter Advent, let us remember that Christ should be sufficient and satisfy our desires.

    1) What do you do (or did you do) for Black Friday? Why?

    2) What do you think of attempts to restrain our spending with practices or challenges? Do they work?

    3) Why do you think excess has been such an issue with things like Black Friday or Christmas?

  • 25 November 2019

    Zechariah 12:1–8, Revelation 18:1–10, Matthew 20:20–23, Luke 22:14–20 (read online ⧉)

    A cup is a common thing. You probably have a few in your cupboards. You might even have so many you have to get rid of one to fit another. You might have ones for special times (like china for Thanksgiving). You might have Christmas themed ones. You probably have ones that were given to you as a reminder or an advertisement. There is nothing special really special about cups. However, as we read the Scriptures, cups star in a number of places.
    Joseph used his cup (his very special one that only he had) to entrap his brothers. Pharoah and Nebuchadnezzar had their cupbearers. These cupbearers had authority within the courts of the leader. Cups, it seems, were not always so common.

    The prophet Zechariah has a vision of Judah being a cup. Nations would drink of this cup. The consumption part represents well the takeovers, wars, slavery, and exile. The nations around Judah (even their Semitic cousins in Samaria) really did a number on Judah. It’s not that Judah did the right things and was still on the losing end. Judah had continually made the wrong decisions. God wasn’t just going to restore his people once they yielded their hearts. God would use Judah as the source of retribution for all the nations that had (by their actions) treated Judah wrongly.

    This imagery is echoed in Revelation. This time, instead of the small underdog nation being the source of retribution, it would now be the leading city (symbolized as Babylon) that would be the source of its own destruction and the nations that followed it. This symbolic Babylon was completely lost in the depths of unGodly practices. The nations that idolized it or followed its practices would end up with the consequences of their choices.

    In Matthew, Jesus uses similar imagery to hint to James and John that the contents of Jesus’ cup will do the same to them as it will do to him. Of course, they did not yet understand what that meant. Is some ways, while Jesus did not “give” them the seats at his right or left hand, he still symbolically handed his identity to them when he said they would drink from his cup. They probably felt better about not getting their “seats”, at least until they realized the cup’s contents.

    This really comes to a culmination in the Cup of Salvation. The “blood” of the New Covenant shared by Jesus with his disciples and eventually with us. The cup is Christ’s. When we share the cup, we share in the name and identity of Jesus. We also identify ourselves with and by the New Covenant. We also identify ourselves by his death and the freedom we bought. Lastly, though, each of us may have something that needs to be sacrificed to live a life with and for Christ. We have chosen to drink from the cup and by so doing stated that we will accept what it brings.

    1)Do you have a favorite cup? Why is it your favorite? Without knowing the story of if, what could people learn about you from it?

    2) God’s grace and love are often found in “ordinary” things. In what other “ordinary” things do you find God’s grace and love?

    3) Why is it important to look for and see God’s grace and love in ordinary things?

  • Are You Blind?

    Matthew 23:16–22, Luke 18:31–43 (read
    online ⧉    )

    Jesus uses the concept of blindness as a teaching point. In the ancient world, blindness was a severe handicap. Over the years we have developed tools and practices to help blind people navigate a world of sight. This was not the way of things in Jesus’ day. All the blind were good for was consuming food, space, and getting alms. This is not to dismiss their value as human beings, but in that age, there was little they could do. Today, with help, blind people can read. Blind people can operation manufacturing machines. The blinds can navigate the world, and the world works to help that. That wasn’t so.

    Jesus wasn’t being nice. He was being brutal. He was telling the world that the teachers that people looked up to were useless, at best. In Matthew, he implies that anyone that follows these teachers will not end up anyplace good. However, they vaunted religious teachers aren’t the only blind ones. His disciples were often blind too. The prediction of his death was “hidden” from them. In many ways, thought Jesus’ future death wasn’t so much hidden as denied. Why would the disciples want to think about Jesus’ death? Have you ever had a “hilltop” experience? Imagine having them for 3 years. It is likely that it got to a point that they couldn’t see beyond that. Sadly, in at least Judas’ case when he did see beyond it, he likely felt betrayed and thus betrayed Jesus.

    That the future was hidden from them per the Scriptures, and then we immediately get to a story about a blind man receiving sight does not appear coincidental. In fact, according to Jesus the man’s faith had both saved him and led to his being able to see. In some ways, the 11 disciples that remained (after Judas’s betrayal and death) did not see either until they had faith. It’s not to say that they didn’t have faith in God, or even in Jesus, but that their faith matured and transformed so that they were able to look back and look forward and see God in action.

    1) Have you ever lost any sense (taste, smell, sight, touch) for a time? What was it like? Did it have far-reaching effects?

    2) Blindness of the heart can lead anyone down a false path. What areas of blindness have you had to deal with? How did you deal with them?

    3) The world is often spiritually blind. If the world cannot see without faith, how do we get them to “see”?

  • 11 November 2019 — Armistice Day / Veterans’ Day

    Isaiah 11:1–10, Isaiah 2:2–4, Jeremiah 8:14–15 (click to read online)

    Humanity has been killing humanity since Cain and Abel. It is nothing new. There was some idealistic optimism, not shared by all, that World War I would be the war to end war. Instead, it saw the first widespread use of machine guns and then planes, tanks, chemical warfare. It wasn’t the end of all wars. In fact, as many wars do, it was the root cause of the next one, with Germany’s rise of the Nazis and World War II. The Treaty of Versailles (to end World War I) was meant to formally end the war (not just stop the fighting). People trying to teach others a lesson, and out of their own pain, imposed severe penalties on the German nation. The consequences of that created the kind of space where Adolf Hitler could rise and send the world to war again.

    Someone once wrote, “veterans are those who signed a blank check to the US Government, promising everything up to death.” Many have paid that “full” price, along with their families. Others continue to pay a different price of broken bodies, minds, and spirits. Truthfully, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that any person can do to repay their sacrifice. Many are quick to jump up and attack these people because of a perceived representation of the so-called military/industrial complex or the lunatic saber-rattling of deranged/mistaken leaders. They, the veterans, are no such thing. First and foremost they are people who surrendered themselves in support of something they saw greater than themselves. That is not something to dismiss or disparage. Ever. Second, just like everyone else, they have hopes, dreams. Third, they need our love.

    The optimism of Isaiah’s vision is possible. Yes, they are. However, it is only when we take Jeremiah’s cautions that we can understand how this can happen. No, it isn’t going to happen anytime soon. God comes first. We aren’t all there yet. In fact, most of us are further than we’d like to admit.

    1) What is one thing you can do to take a step toward the visions of Isaiah?

    2) What do you think of the phrase, peace starts at home? Is your home peaceful?

    3) What is peace? Do you think your definition of peaces matches others’?

  • Pride Versus Repentance

    1 Kings 8:44–53, Zechariah 1:1–17, Acts 3:13–26

    That Solomon included this request for the Israelites who would be in exile while inaugurating the newly built temple should not be overlooked. It is significant. With so much foreshadowing of the Israelites going into exile, one would think that the Israelites would have figured it out. The great leader, Moses, foreshadowed it. Yet, rebellion (of a number of sorts), confusion, and hardened hearts meant that they were headed to exile eventually.

    When the exile did come, at least, God made it clear that exile wasn’t the end. All they had to do was say, “sorry.” Yes, it’s a little more complicated than that. On the other hand, it is still that simple. God remains true to God’s holiness and justice. There isn’t a free pass for the Israelites out of exile. The way to get back isn’t too onerous, for those who are not too full of pride.

    Even after all of that, pride was still an issue. Peter challenged the pride of the Jews, who built so much of their identity on their bloodline. Peter used that pride against them, really to make a point. They were so sure of themselves and their leaders that they killed the person they were waiting for.

    Peter makes it clear though…repent. Yes, it’s that easy.

    1) What do you take pride in? Has it ever interfered with your Christian life?

    2) Do you take pride in certain parts of your faith (denomination, stance on an issue, etc.)? How could that interfere with your relationship and your following Jesus?

  • All the Saints

    Luke 20:27–40, Hebrews 11:32–12:2, Revelation 7:9–17

    Veneration of the Saints has a long history in the church. Due to misunderstandings (cultural, interpretive, arrogance, ignorance), it has often been a source of claims of heresy and idol worship. It has been abused and misshapen into disguised pagan worship. In addition, there is also the practice in other religions and traditions that have a form of ancestor worship. While there is no question that veneration of saints and even ancestors has been twisted into false teaching, this is one of those many cases of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

    This becomes significant as the stories of the saints and martyrs of the church are not (generally) part of Evangelical Protestant worship or practice. There are some minor exceptions. There was a popular song by Michael W. Smith about Cassie Bernall who was shot and killed because she would not deny Jesus to the shooters at the Columbine High School. There are some famous missionary stories such as End of the Spear about missionaries who died in the field, but whose murders later repented and turned to Christ. By and large, though, the concept of saints and martyrs is talked about in generalities.

    Martyrs, in many respects, are easier to talk about than saints (though many saints were martyrs). The “romantic” concept of dying for one’s faith, especially here where we are free and protected, pervades Western Christianity. It’s not romantic for those who go through persecution and martyrdom.

    Saints are harder. Part of this is the historical Protestant antagonism towards Roman Catholicism and the central place the Virgin Mary and the Saints have in Roman Catholic practice. Sadly, though, we (as Protestants) have lost 2 important things when it comes to how the saints fit into our practices.

    First, saints are a great example to follow. Just like us, they aren’t perfect. Just like us, they try to be like Jesus but often failed. We can all say (and probably do) we can’t measure up to Jesus but it’s harder to say that about saints (though we still try). Their lives are also worth reading about as they had struggles just like we do, and they provided some of the greatest reflections on God.

    Second, the legacy of saints is far-reaching. Many saints weren’t “official” saints, but that Sunday School teacher that put the seed of Jesus in our heart. It could be that believer that just loved you where you were at. It could be a parent, grandparent, uncle, aunt, neighbor whose life drew you to Jesus. When we recognize the legacy of saints, we often learn about ourselves, and we see more of God in us due to all the streams of faith that pour into our lives. This gives us not just head knowledge, but heart knowledge, and a place to belong.

    1) What are your first thoughts when you think about saints? Why do you think that is?

    2) Who are some so-called “real” “church” saints you can think of? What were they famous for? What do you think their legacy is?

    3) Who are some “real-life” saints in your life? What made them that way? How did they change you?

  • Binding Ties

    1 Samuel 2:12–17, 1 Samuel 2:22–36, Matthew 10:16–23, Ephesians 6:10–20

    Who or what are the dark powers that Paul talks about in Ephesians? Perhaps they are the family members that oppose believers. Perhaps they are the family members the “dress up” in righteous clothing and whose behavior is unrighteous.

    Eli’s sons Phinehas and Hophni are the second set of “pastor’s” kids in the Scriptures (the first were Aaron’s sons) who went off the deep end. Their lack of respect for others’ sacrifices was bad just on an interpersonal level. It was a form of bullying. Was there a penalty? Yes, but that doesn’t really improve the results. How many people were scarred toward the priesthood? How many became reluctant attendees because of their behavior? This can only be thought of through conjecture. Just based on human behavior, it seems likely that the behavior of Eli’s sons caused a ripple effect of unseen damage. For cultural, societal, and religious reasons people would still go, for the cost of not going could result in ostracization.

    What kind of opposition was Jesus expecting? Families kicking out believers. Families turning in believers. Family gatherings devolving into religious arguments and divisions. Even Jesus’ own family was divided until at least after his death.

    The dark powers really are the sin of humankind. Yes, there are dark supernatural powers and influences. Sadly, however, humanity has enough darkness inside itself that outside influence is often not required to make a mess of things. Jealousy, envy, hatred are in many respect the true dark power of humanity. Along with pride, humanity will often do many things which appear to be contrary to the concept of humanity.

    Within families, the excesses often seem to be magnified. While we often think about the awkward family reunion, sometimes we find it in other “families”, whether they be fraternal orders, unions, clubs, church, Homeowners Associations, or whatever. There are always powers that work to separate the ties that bind us together.

    1) What have you experienced that tests the bonds of your relationships with others?

    2) Do you have a tendency to look at yourself or at others first when there is a problem?

    3) What is the strongest tendency you have that pushes others away from you? What is the strongest tendency you have that draws others to you?